Sormik Week 2016
by OblivionDTD
Summary: A collection of all my works for Sormik week over on tumblr. EDIT: the last two chapters were late but i'm going to be posting them both before tomorrow.
1. Day 1: Water

Water – **Healing** |Passivity

* * *

"Honestly, Sorey. I'm starting to think you're doing this on purpose." Mikleo stated, annoyance present in his voice as he tried to patch up _yet another_ injury. It had become a rather unwelcome pattern for the young water seraph— his life-long friend would run off on his own to take care of whatever problem someone he'd never even met before was having, only to return with what would sometimes be numerous wounds.

Unfortunately, that was the type of person Sorey was. He was selfless to a fault, always trying to help everyone without thinking about his own health and wellbeing. There were times when Mikleo believed that Sorey's only purpose in life was to make him worry. But of course that wasn't enough to make him leave his human friend alone. They'd been together far too long to even _consider_ leaving the other's side. Besides, Mikleo knew that Sorey wouldn't likely last very long on his own anyway. Between his inability to think things through and his recklessness, it would be a surprise if he lasted a single day without Mikleo's guiding hand.

"Sorry, I know you tell me not to run off on my own like that…but I just wanted to help." Sorey— never would anyone think it possible for one person to be so innocent and pure-hearted. He was always trying to do whatever he could to help others, even if that person was a total stranger. That was, of course, why Mikleo and the seraph who raised them both, Zenrus, were always so worried for him. In fact, that worry and the knowledge of Sorey's inability to plan were what prompted Mikleo to prepare everything they'd need when they'd departed Elysia.

Mikleo smiled fondly at the memories that felt almost like a distant dream as he moved on to treat some of the more minor scratches on his arms. Sorey continued to ramble through some explanation for his actions. "I know you keep telling me I can't always help everyone, but I swear I didn't think it would be _that_ dangerous. If I'd known I would have brought you with me. Really!"

Mikleo smirked, "So you say. I may have believed that if you hadn't said the _exact same thing_ the last five times." Sorey rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, wearing an expression akin to a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar. All Mikleo could do was shake his head and chuckle lightly. That type of reaction was so like Sorey; anyone who knew him would have been able to predict it.

One would likely think it strange that someone who could be so childish and naive would become the Shepherd; that someone like Sorey would be the one to put an end to the Age of Chaos and save the world. There were even times when Mikleo, himself, thought that it was nothing but a strange dream. He even wondered whether this 'Sorey' was actually _his_ Sorey. His Sorey couldn't possibly be some sort of 'savior' of any kind… right? Though, at the same time, Mikleo knew deep in his heart that it was all real— that _was_ his Sorey, and he _was_ the Shepherd. While it may have seemed utterly absurd, it was all based in some semblance of realism. Sorey was not only one of very few humans who could see and speak with the seraphim, but also could be considered a perfect image of purity and kindness.

So, in a way, Mikleo could understand what Alisha meant when she said the Shepherd she imagined from the legends was a lot like Sorey. She was right, after all. That didn't mean, however, that the water seraph would ever worry any less about him. He examined and set to healing the rest of the minor wounds.

"I get that you don't want to get me involved," Sorey fixed Mikleo with a questioning gaze and he continued, "But remember, you shouldn't try to shoulder this burden alone. If you try and carry the weight of the world on your shoulders alone, you'll be crushed. So let us help you out. We're your friends, Sorey; we can help you shoulder that weight. And if it gets too much for you, then we'll carry you, too." The brunette suddenly burst into laughter. Shocked and slightly angry, Mikleo scowled at him, red-faced. This of course only caused the other's laughter to grow. "What's so funny!? I was being serious!"

Sorey tried futilely to contain his laughter. Eventually, he managed to calm himself enough to speak. However, the humor was still present in his voice, much to Mikleo's chagrin, "S-Sorry, Mikleo; it's just… that was the sappiest thing I've ever heard you say." The young seraph pouted indignantly, which only caused his friend to burst into yet another fit of laughter; only this time, Mikleo joined in, enjoying a rare opportunity of shared amusement. They hadn't had much time for such idle pleasures since they'd left Elysia. Thus, they cherished the quiet moments – the calm before the storm.

They both knew that there was genuine danger in what they were doing. Anyone could lose their life at any time. For all they knew, none of them would survive the final battle. Even still, they kept their heads held high and kept moving forward towards the future — towards their shared dream. And if all went well, one day humans and seraphim would be able to live together in peaceful coexistence. But these were all things that could be saved for another day. At present, the two were content to just immerse themselves in this little world of simple amusement and idle pleasures, free of the pain and suffering of the outside world.

Neither knew when they would get another chance like this, and they were both firm believers of seizing opportunities when they were presented to them. If you wait, you may lose the chance. A chance you may never get again. However, the two were so deeply immersed in their small world they both forgot something incredibly important. That is until Rose abruptly burst into the room.

"Geez, are you guys okay? You're both completely hysterica- Sorey! What the hell happened to you!?"

Mikleo turned to Rose, finally snapped out of his reverie. When her words finally dawned on him Mikleo immediately turned back to Sorey— torn garbs, bruised cheek— he forgot to finish healing!

* * *

 **Originally posted on tumblr obliviondtd**


	2. Day 2: Earth

Earth – **Growth** |Stubbornness

* * *

Have you ever waited a really long time for something, and the entire time you can't help the feeling that when the time comes, it won't turn out how you hoped? For most people, it's something as trivial as a long awaited conclusion to a story. For me, though, I spent centuries waiting for the person I cared for more than anyone in the world. The entire time I had worries and fears and doubts. What if he never woke up? What if, when he did, he didn't know who I was? What if he can't find me? What if I can't find him? So many painful thoughts rushing through my mind. Every painful minute of every painful hour. Every painful day of every painful month of every painful year. On and on, never-ending pain. For centuries. It's really no wonder Lailah was worried about me.

Under normal circumstances, I likely would have become a dragon at this point. But the circumstances weren't normal. I was waiting for Sorey; we still had promises to keep to each other. Ever the stubborn seraph, I pushed the pain to the back of my mind and continued forward. Towards a future where humans and seraphim could coexist in peace— just like we'd always wanted. And so through those centuries, I continued to move forward never giving in to pain, only staying true to what my heart wanted. And that was to make Sorey's dream a reality before he woke up. I wanted him to wake up to a world where we all could coexist peacefully. After all he'd sacrificed, he deserved that much and more.

A few weeks before he returned, I met with Lailah. She hadn't changed in the slightest, neither in appearance nor in personality. She told me, though, that I had grown. She said that Gramps would be proud of how far I've come. Lailah always knew just the right thing to say. I guess she was what most humans call a "mom friend". Regardless, I parted feeling much better than I had in a long time. I'd finally regained the hope that he would return.

But then I began to wonder— according to Lailah, I had grown, not just physically but emotionally as well. I wondered if Sorey will have grown any. Will he be any different emotionally when I see him again? And what will he think of the way I've become? I scolded myself. He wouldn't care about any of that, nor would it matter to me if he was different. I was letting my mind wander too much. Everything would be clear when he finally returned. Even still, I knew I needed a distraction to get my mind away from these thoughts.

That's how, for the first time in many years I found myself exploring ancient ruins like I'd done in the past with Sorey. Only this time, I didn't have to worry about hellions causing a ruckus and damaging any historical monuments. Hellions and malevolence were few and far between these days. If all went how we'd expected, it shouldn't have been too much longer before Sorey woke up. But then again, that could be just wishful thinking. I try not to get my hopes up too much. That way, if anything does happen, it won't hurt as much. What am I thinking? I need to stop thinking so negatively. Everything will work out in the end. It has to…

The ruin I'm in right now is beautiful. An entire water ruin; I wonder how powerful a seraph would have to be in order to create a place like this? I feel calmer here than I have anywhere else. Being surrounded by water is one of the only things that can soothe me when I'm upset. I guess this was a good place to come after all. But really it's a very amazing ruin. It may even date to before the Era of Asgard. _Huh? What's this monument?_

Suddenly, the floor gave out beneath me and I started to fall; my mind became clouded with 'last thoughts' and I could have sworn I saw my life flashing before my eyes. Then suddenly, that feeling of weightlessness stopped, and my mind became clear again. That's when I noticed the slight pressure around my wrist. Someone had caught me; someone stopped me from falling. All at once, memories from centuries past began to resurface and my heart began to race. It couldn't have possibly been the same person. But when I looked up at saw those familiar green eyes staring down at me with a look only _he_ could give me, something inside me snapped.

I smiled my most genuine smile in centuries as tears began flowing freely down my cheeks. In one quick motion, he had pulled me out of the hole and into a tight hug. I buried my face in chest as gentle sobs shook my entire body. I could hear a familiar, gentle voice speaking to me— hushing me, telling me it was alright now, that I'm safe— and I found myself instinctively tightening my grasp on the man in front of me. I felt his grip loosen and I buried myself into him, trying desperately to maintain the contact and convince myself it wasn't just a dream. His strong hands pushed gently against my shoulders, but I still refused to let go. When I heard his voice call my name, my eyes widened in shock. I pulled back just enough to look up and see his face. He was smiling down at me and the look of adoration in his eyes made my breath catch in my throat. His mouth seemed to form words but I couldn't hear over the sound of my quickly beating heart. Before my brain could even register the movement, he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on my lips. Though it didn't last very long, I understood the sentiment behind it. That wasn't just a normal kiss; it was an 'I'm back' kiss. That kiss was his assurance that he was actually there in front of me and that he would never leave my side. My face felt hot as I smiled up at him. He touched our foreheads together and looked directly into my eyes, bringing a single hand up to gently caress my face. The look of fondness in his eyes was unmistakable.

 _You've grown, Mikleo._

 _So have you, Sorey._


	3. Day 3: Fire

Everything happened so quickly. Before long the entire house was engulfed in flame. The neighbors crowded around, just far enough that they wouldn't get hurt, and began to talk in hushed, panicked voices. I heard everything they said.

 _How did this happen?_

 _Who knows? Maybe someone left the stove on, or something._

 _I hope no one is in there right now._

 _I think that kid was, though. The quiet boy, Mikleo._

I'd heard enough. Mikleo was one of my friends. He didn't deserve this kind of fate. 'But what could I do. I'm just one kid. No I know what to do.' With a last glance towards my own house I muttered a silent apology to my family before rushing forward towards the burning structure, intent on saving the white haired boy who I fell in love with.

* * *

Perhaps I should start from the beginning of this story. My name is Sorey. I'm a 17 year old senior in high school with an interest in history and archaeology. I don't really play sports and I'm not really a member of any of the school's clubs. To put it bluntly, I'm a huge nerd who spends most of his time reading history books and researching ancient ruins. It's my dream to one day explore ruins of ancient civilizations all around the world.

Whether because of my naivety or my interests, I've never really had a lot of friends. There are a few people like Rose and Alisha who stick with me, though we don't really share all that much in common. Don't get me wrong, I'm not unsociable. It's just I never know what to talk about with the other kids at school. Most of the guys only want to talk about sports and girls; Most of the girls only want to talk about shopping and guys. Rose, Alisha and I are a bit different. We're sort of the outcasts of the school, which is probably the only reason we met. I won't complain, though, because it's better than being completely alone.

Anyway it was a perfectly normal Wednesday as I walked into my first period AP History course. The course work was challenging, but the subject matter is fun for me since it revolves around my interests. So I walked into class with a smile on my face, excited to start another day on a high note. The bell rang and the teacher walked in, however, something was different. Trailing behind her was a small boy about my age, with white hair and the loveliest violet eyes I'd ever seen. He wore a white long-sleeved button up with a light blue tie, black trousers and what appeared to be new black dress shoes. On his face he wore rimless glasses with rectangular lenses and, if one looked closely enough, what appeared to be some sort of glinting jewelry piece beneath his well-styled bangs. Our teacher told us he'd just moved into town before asking him to introduce himself. He seemed reluctant, but eventually said in a low voice, "Mikleo."

'Mikleo'. It was a nice name. Beautiful and graceful, yet unique and almost exotic. It fit him far too well. Our teacher assigned him to the seat next to mine. 'Perfect. It'll be much easier for me to get to know him now.' Once Mikleo took his seat the lecture began. But I couldn't focus as well as normal. I was too distracted by the incredibly handsome young man next to me. 'Wait, handsome?'

* * *

The bell rang, signaling the end of the day and I immediately shot out of my seat and headed towards the lockers. I'd just picked up a new book on ancient civilizations and I couldn't wait to start reading it. Focused solely on that one task alone, I almost failed to notice what was going on a little farther down the hall. Mikleo stood with his face hanging low as a group of notorious bullies surrounded him. They all looked raring to fight and when I realized what was happening I rushed over instantly.

"Hey! What are you guys doing? Leave him alone!" I stood in front of the small, slender boy defensively; ready to fight if necessary. "Didn't anyone ever tell you guys to pick on someone your own size?" This is how I normally was with these guys. If I see them bullying anyone, I stand up to them. They're the type who will back off if someone stands up to them anyway. So before long they scoffed and cleared out, looking for another poor victim to terrorize. "That was close, huh? Are you alright? They didn't hurt you did they?" I turned to see Mikleo studying me, wide-eyed and curious.

"Huh…No. I'm not hurt. But," he turned his head to the side, a light blush visible on his cheeks, "thanks. No one's ever done something like that for me before. Not even at my other schools."

"Well, I've never been one to stick to the norm. Don't worry about it; I'm used to dealing with those guys. I'm Sorey, by the way. I sit next to you in AP History."

"I know. We're also in the same Calculus and Literature classes. I'm Mikleo, but I guess you knew that." His normally blank facial expression changed to a small smile, and I swore it made him all the more beautiful. 'Huh, I think he's beautiful?'

"S-So anyway, are you going home?" That was a dumb question. It was the end of the day of course he'd be going home. I mentally slapped myself for my own stupidity.

"Actually, I was going to head to the bookstore not far from my house. A new book by that historian, Mayvin, just came out. I was going to buy it." He looked down in embarrassment. "I know it's a bit weird, but I really like history."

"Really! So do I! I've never met someone else my age who reads Mayvin's works. I actually bought the book yesterday. I was going to read it when I got home." I was rambling a bit but I was just so excited to meet someone who I shared a common interest with.

"If that's the case…no never mind." He started to walk away but I grabbed his arm, urging him to say what was on his mind. "W-Well I just wondered if you'd walk with me…it's stupid, you probably have something else better to do than spend time with someone you just met. Excuse me."

"Hey! Wait up!" I ran to catch up with his quickly retreating form. "Don't just walk off without waiting for a response. I'd love to walk to the bookstore with you. If you want, you can come back to my place and we can talk about Mayvin's other works."

The smile returned once again and I felt lightheaded at the look he was giving me. 'What is this feeling?' My heart nearly stopped when he chuckled lightly. "Sure, that sounds like fun."

"C-Cool. Let me just stop at my locker really quick." I couldn't stop my voice from shaking. I didn't know what was wrong with me. Was I getting sick? No, that wasn't right. I only felt like this around Mikleo. I'd have to remember to ask Rose about it later.

With that, I set off towards the bookstore with my new companion by my side, talking and laughing all the way.

* * *

I walked into AP History and took my seat. Mikleo wasn't here yet. We had quite the fun time the other day, sitting up until about 3 am talking about history and archaeology. He ended up staying over my house last night, which wasn't really a problem since he lived in the same neighborhood. I'm going to stay over his house tonight. I can hardly contain my excitement.

"Sorry I'm late. One of the school counselors wanted to talk to me" Mikleo's voice snapped me out of my reverie as he sat down in the seat next to mine. Our seats were so close that our shoulders brushed when he sat down, to which he apologized, red-faced.

"Oh, what about?" I asked as I tried to will my own blush away.

"Something about how I'm adjusting to my classes and about if I need any help with schoolwork. I've heard these things plenty of times. I'm used to it." That's right. Mikleo has moved around a lot in his life and has been to 7 different schools. His family decided to settle here though until he graduates.

"Oh, well are we still on for later." I was a bit nervous since this would be my first time going over a friend's house. But it was still exciting.

"Yeah. My mom really wants to meet you. I've not had a lot of friends before so I think she was surprised that I made one so quickly. We'll meet at your locker after last period."

* * *

"Mom, this is my friend Sorey."

A young looking woman walked up and extended her hand in a greeting. I couldn't help but think that she was rather beautiful. 'I wonder if that's why Mikleo is so delicate looking. Though she seems a bit young.' "Hello Sorey, My name is Lailah. It's a pleasure to meet my son's first friend."

' _First_ friend, huh?' It never really dawned on me that Mikleo never had _any_ friends before. I looked over at him to see a look of horror on his now beet-red face. He probably didn't want me to know that. "It's nice to meet you, too. To be honest, I haven't really had a lot of friends either." Mikleo seemed shocked at my admission. He likely thought I would be popular because I'm pretty outgoing. "Just these two girls I talk to at school, Rose and Alisha, but that's about it."

"Well then, I guess it's a good thing we moved here. Right, Mikleo?" She turned to her son, who had his face buried in his hands, with a smile. He panicked and said something about going to grab some drinks before leaving the living room. Lailah and I sat down and, unable to contain my curiosity, I asked what was on my mind.

"Sorry if this seems rude, but are you actually Mikleo's mother? I mean you seem a bit young is all. I don't mean to offend you." She smiled kindly at me before shaking her head.

"You're right. I'm not actually Mikleo's birth mother. I adopted two children about 10 years ago, Mikleo, who was 7 at the time, and Edna, who was 8. I'm not sure if Mikleo mentioned Edna, but they were neighbors who lost their families in a fire. They ended up at the same orphanage and they were inseparable. That's why no one adopted them. So I decided to take them both in. I was only 19 at the time, but that never mattered all that much." I'd not heard about Edna before, but if they were really inseparable, I wondered why Lailah called me his first friend. As though she'd read my thoughts, the answered my unvoiced question.

"Mikleo and Edna were neighbors but they were also half-siblings. Their father was married to Edna's mother and had an affair with Mikleo's. After they'd learned the truth they confronted him together. They grew close from there. They moved next door to each other so their children could stay together." To say I was shocked would be the understatement of the year. I didn't even know how to respond to what I'd just been told. So instead I just asked another question.

"Why are you telling me all this? I mean most people don't tell so much stuff to someone they just met."

"I felt like I needed to tell you this. Sorey, Mikleo doesn't do well in most relationships. He's so afraid of losing the people he cares about that he tries to keep them at arm's length. But still, he let you get close to him. Please, Sorey, look out for Mikleo?"

I smiled brightly at Lailah. Everything she's done has been for these two, it would seem. Even now, she's only thinking about Mikleo's well-being. "I will. I promise."

Mikleo returned to the room a short while later with some sort of herbal tea. Of course, at that moment, the front door also opened and a voice called out a greeting. "Welcome back, Edna." Mikleo replied to the sudden arrival. 'Ah, so Edna's here. That explains it.' Though when she walked in the room, I had to blink a few times to assure myself of what I was seeing.

A small girl with blonde hair who looked to be around 13 years old walked into the room. She gave me a curious look. "Who's he?" She asked, her eyes never leaving me. Suddenly she smirked, "Oh, is this your little friend, Meebo?"

"My name is MIKLEO! M-I-K-L-E-O! How many times do I have to say that!?" The two started going back and forth like that and I suddenly felt very uncomfortable and out of place in that room.

"Don't worry, Sorey. They're not actually arguing. This is how things normally are around here." She then turned to address the pair arguing in the middle of the room. "Though I would prefer if you would not act this way when we have guests. You two should know better." They stopped and muttered quick apologies.

"We're gonna go upstairs and work on our homework. Come on, Sorey." With that we excused ourselves and left the room. "Sorry about that. She just never knows when to stop teasing people. Though I think she likes you, so that's something at least."

"Really, she didn't seem like she was fond of me."

"She would have ignored you if she didn't like you."

"Well I guess that means I got points with your family at least, so that's cool!" Mikleo laughed under his breath.

"You're such a dork." I gave him the most indignant face I could muster and we both broke out in fits of laughter.

* * *

"Rose I really need to ask you something real quick." I dragged the red-head off to the side of the hall on our way to lunch. I'd wanted to ask her the day before but she had a cold so she stayed home.

"Alright, alright. Sheesh. What's up?" I started recounting everything about the way I've been thinking about Mikleo. Rose may not seem like it but she's actually really dependable when it comes to advice. She was honest and didn't judge people on superficial things.

"It sounds like you like him. As more than a friend that is." She put her hands on my shoulders and looked me directly in the eye. "That means _you_ have to go confess."

"I can't do that. He'll hate me if he ever finds out!" We'd only just become friends. I wasn't ready to lose him just yet.

"Oh well, it's your call. But I think it's better if you tell him. It'll be tough for you to be his friend if you don't get it off your chest at least."

"I'll think about it, Rose. Thanks."

She smiled and put her arm around my shoulder. "No problem. That's what friends are for right? Now let's go. I'm starving and Alisha and Mikleo are probably wondering where we are."

* * *

About 2 weeks later, Mikleo and I left school and headed to our neighborhood. We couldn't hang out today because of a prior engagement, so we parted ways at the street that separated our houses. "Alright, I have to head home but I'll see you at school tomorrow, Sorey." Mikleo waved to me as he headed down the street to his own house. I waved back, smiling at him, though I wasn't able to build the courage to tell him how I feel about him. It's all so confusing. I fell in love with this guy I met a few weeks ago. He'd never accept my feelings now. I'll wait a few months, that way it won't seem so quick.

I sat on my couch and turned the TV on, eyes slipping closed from exhaustion. I guess I'd not been sleeping well lately. I was so busy reading or hanging out with Mikleo that my sleep schedule's been ruined. Just a quick nap won't hurt.

-break-

I woke up to some sort of commotion outside. I stood up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes before heading outside. Though what I saw there shook me to the very core. Fire. Blazing hot and uncontrollably. A house was on fire.

Mikleo's house was on fire.

I remembered what Lailah told me about how Mikleo and Edna's mothers died. I tried unsuccessfully to swallow the knot that had formed in my throat. He was fine, right? He's not in that house right now right? The questions bounced around my head and I lost all sense of time.

Everything happened so quickly. Before long the entire house was engulfed in flame. The neighbors crowded around, just far enough that they wouldn't get hurt, and began to talk in hushed, panicked voices. I heard everything they said.

 _How did this happen?_

 _Who knows? Maybe someone left the stove on, or something._

 _I hope no one is in there right now._

 _I think that kid was, though. The quiet boy, Mikleo._

I'd heard enough. Mikleo was one of my friends. He didn't deserve this kind of fate. 'But what could I do. I'm just one kid. No I know what to do.' With a last glance towards my own house I muttered a silent apology to my family before rushing forward towards the burning structure, intent on saving the white haired boy who I fell in love with.

I heard voices call out to me. They told me to stop. To not throw my life away. How could I stop? Mikleo was in there and he needed my help. Edna told me something about a week ago. She said that Mikleo was stuck in the house that was on fire when he was younger. He's suffered from trauma and has been visiting therapists ever since. I need to get to him. I need to save him.

* * *

The air was hot and thick with smoke as I ran through the house, looking for any sign of Mikleo. I kept pushing on further and further through the smoke and fire, but it was becoming difficult to move. My body felt sluggish but I pushed ever forward, running up the burning staircase hoping to find Mikleo there.

I've never been one to make the best decisions, but this is by far the most dangerous thing I've ever done. I know this, yet I won't give up. I will never give up until I know Mikleo is safe. If I have to die trying to save him, then so be it. It may be selfish. And he may hate me forever if I die for him. But I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't at least try to do something.

When I got upstairs I saw the door to Mikleo's room was open. A pained sound came from it and, panicking, I ran toward the noise. I found Mikleo on the ground, a stream of tears on his cheeks, struggling to breathe. "Mikleo!" I called out as I ran over and knelt at his side. He stared at me with blank, dead eyes.

"S-Sorey…What are you…doing here…" His voice came out in raspy pants and I quickly hushed him lifting him on my back and heading towards the exit.

"It's okay…Mikleo…I'll get you…out of…here…" As the smoke grew thicker it became even harder to breathe. I struggled down the burning staircase and towards the door. But before I got there my legs gave out under me. I fell forward with Mikleo on my back, crying out in pain as my right hand was scorched in the fire.

"…Sorey…" Mikleo crawled off my back the looked at me there was so much fear in his eyes, and yet he was trying his best to stay strong. He helped my tired body sit up and I began to worry that neither of us would make it out. Reaching my uninjured hand to him and grabbing his shoulder I tried to encourage him forward. He was almost there and they were running out of time. He shook his head and wrapped his arms around my waist. Was this the end for us? Were we just going to die here? If I'd had the energy, I'm sure I would have cried. If only I'd asked him to stay longer earlier. He wouldn't have been here. We would have both been safe in my house when this happened. I cursed my lack of foresight, wrapped my arms around my dear friend, and the world went black.

* * *

When I came to, all I could see was white. White, and then a pair of blurry violet eyes, wide and tearful. "Sorey, y-you're alive." I was alive, huh? Good, I'm glad. For a moment I thought we had both died and moved on to the afterlife. Though the next moment was definitely a wakeup call. Mikleo flung his arms around my shoulders, burying his face in my chest and sobbing loudly. At the contact, a sharp pain racked through my body, and I let out a sharp gasp. Realizing what he'd done, Mikleo retracted himself, apologizing profusely. To be honest, I barely registered what happened next. One after one a long string of visitors came. They hugged me and cried and told me how worried they were.

The whole day was basically like that. Eventually, my parents, the last ones to stay, left with a promise to be back the next morning. I was exhausted both physically and mentally. When the door opened again I almost screamed. Though when I saw who it was I felt a bit better. Rose, Alisha, and Mikleo were standing there, all of them in different states. Rose looked ready to blow a fuse and I was sure that if I wasn't already in the hospital she would put me in the hospital. Alisha was struggling to hold back tears by mumbling reassurances to herself. And Mikleo…Mikleo looked pensive. He was nothing like the way he was earlier. No tears or red eyes, just a blank stare. And Sorey finally got a good look at him.

Mikleo didn't really look all too worse for wear. The only obvious things were the bandages around his arms. I wasn't sure if they were from burns or cuts, but that didn't matter so much right now. I was just glad Mikleo was alright. I'd been so scared and done something so reckless. I started to wonder whether Mikleo would be mad at me.

"You idiot! How could you do something so reckless!? You could have died!" As expected Rose began to berate me for being stupid. This is pretty normal for me so I tend to just listen and apologize at appropriate intervals.

"We were so worried about you, Sorey. There was an assembly the day after it happened and the principal told us what happened. He said that you both suffered minor injuries but were hospitalized for smoke inhalation. We…we thought you weren't going to make it." Alisha was on the edge of tears but did her best to stay strong, though she wavered a bit at the end. I extended a shaky hand to her and brought her in for a hug. After a while, Rose joined in as well. The only one who didn't was…Mikleo.

It seems the girls noticed something was off as well, because they excused themselves. Rose placed a hand on Mikleo's shoulder as Alisha said something to him before leaving. He walked over to me and sat on the edge of the bed, not once looking me in the eye. "You idiot. How could you do that to me!?" His voice was loud but it sounded…broken? My heart fell when I realized how much it must have hurt him when I was hurt. From the corner of my eye, I saw the tears that flowed like a river. I grabbed his arm carefully before pulling him to me, holding him and letting him cry into my chest like earlier. He must have been scared.

Once he'd regained some semblance of control he pulled back and spoke. He told me that the doctors didn't know if I'd make it, and that they might have given up soon. I'd been out for months with no sign of recovery. Apparently, I was worse off than Mikleo, who woke up a mere three weeks after the incident. I suddenly felt a flood of guilt rush over me. If I'd died from this, not only would Mikleo and everyone else be left behind, but Mikleo would likely blame himself. Not to mention, I have would never gotten to tell him how I feel.

I figured that it was as good a time as any to tell him, so I steeled myself for what I had to say. Before I could speak, though, he spoke words that nearly made my heart stop. "I can't believe you did that. What would I have done if you'd left me? I love you, you jerk." His eyes widened at what I assumed was an accidental admission. He tried to hide his face from me again, but I turned it back and looked him in the eye.

"I'm so sorry, Mikleo. I should have thought about how you would feel. But I was just so afraid of losing you. Though, I guess you must have felt the same." I gave him a tearful smile as I moved my hand to caress his cheek. "I love you, too, Mikleo. I should have told you sooner, but I was afraid you would hate me if I did." He gasped softly before shyly moving his lips to meet my own in a short kiss. Backing away, he covered his face with his hand in a gesture that was almost too innocent. I pulled him back for another hug, and we stayed like that until visiting hours were over.

* * *

You know, sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I'd never met Mikleo at all. I may have continued the rest of my life the way I always had. And I know I _definitely_ wouldn't have been hundreds of miles away from home, studying archaeology at a school on the other side of the country, living with the white haired boy who made me question everything I'd ever known about myself. I guess it's safe to say that so long as Mikleo is along for the ride, I'm willing to go any distance.


	4. Day 4: Wind

Mikleo watched through the small window as the winds picked up once again. A storm was coming, and that did not bode well for their team. Why? Because Mikleo knew that, come rain or shine, Sorey would be out their fighting and purifying hellions. Hell, that was why they were in their current position. The small group took shelter in a small, abandoned hut when the first storm swept through. Soaking wet and chilled to the bone, they did their best to get themselves warm and dry. Unfortunately, all did not go as planned on that front.

After a being stuck in this torrential weather for a while, Sorey seemed to have come down with a terrible cold. He was lying in a bed, sweating and shivering, with an incredibly high fever. What made matters worse was the group didn't have any medicine to help him recover. So a short while after the first storm cleared, the rest of the group left to get medicinal and food supplies, leaving Mikleo to care for the sick Shepherd.

Suddenly, and especially forceful gust of cold wind blew the door to their shelter wide open. The rain started soon after, and Mikleo struggled against the forces of nature to close the door. When he finally managed to get it shut he looked over to see that Sorey was shivering even harder. The cold air from the outside was chilling him and he seemed uncomfortable. Mikleo looked around for anything he could use to warm him up. If Lailah were here, she could just make a fire.

After a few minutes of searching, Mikleo managed to find what seemed to be a hand-stitched quilt. It was made of a thick, warm material, and Mikleo couldn't help but think of it as a blessing in disguise. He quickly through the blanket over his sick partner, tucking it in gently until he was sure Sorey was as comfortable as he could be with a high fever. The shivering stopped and Mikleo heaved a sigh of relief, wiping the drop of sweat that had formed on his brow. Mikleo didn't like when Sorey got sick, and he'd fuss and stress about every little thing until the brunette was better. Since seraphim rarely got sick, Sorey never really had to do the same for him.

As child, Sorey had a much weaker constitution than anyone else. Not only was he the only human among them, but he also was a bit small and frail. So he used to get sick all the time. Every time he would fall ill, Mikleo would stay by his side for days, while Zenrus took care of him. As Sorey got older, he also became stronger. He didn't get sick as often, though when he did, he'd be bedridden for at least a few days. It was these times that Mikleo truly understood how fragile his partner's life was compared to his own. Then he would get scared.

Mikleo would have thoughts all his life about how long he and Sorey would be together. Since humans live such short lives, he knew that one day Sorey would grow old and die. There was even a time when he'd ran to Zenrus crying and asked if there was any way to make the brunette like them. Now, at the very least, Mikleo has accepted that he won't always be around. It doesn't make it any easier, but he hopes that when the day does come he will be able to see Sorey off with a smile.

A small voice rang out in the quiet air of the hut. The young seraph turned to find his human partner mumbling in his sleep. Smiling fondly, he walked over and knelt by the bedside, gently stroking the soft brunette locks comfortingly. The brunette settled and smiled back, and at that moment Mikleo finally realized just how lucky he was. Sure one day the two of them would have to part ways, but he had found something that far too many people never find. He found true, unconditional love in the form of a smiling brunette. That alone was enough to make even the hardest of times bearable.


	5. Day 5: Void

"Sorey, I don't exactly know what happened, but I blame you." Mikleo interlaced his fingers as he adjusted where he sat on the rather prominent boulder, glaring at his companion out of the corner of his eye.

"Why me? What did I do?" Sorey, who was sitting next to Mikleo, looked astonished at the accusation.

Mikleo ran his fingers through his hair, fixing his bangs, "Because whenever something goes wrong, you're in the center of it."

Sorey gestured to himself with both hands, "So, you're saying it's my fault."

"Yes."

Sorey raised both arms into the air, "Why me? What did I do?"

Mikleo finally turned to face his friend, asking dully, "You literally just asked that a few seconds ago. Are you that clueless?"

"I don't really know how to answer that…" Sorey replied sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"How about, 'I'm sorry for grabbing the weird shiny thing sitting in the middle of the room and then having butter fingers when the first hellion shows up'?"

"Well at least I didn't almost fall down a hole back in the ruins near Elysia. You would have been a pancake if I hadn't caught you." Sorey bit back with a teasing tone.

Mikleo gritted his teeth in annoyance. "Don't turn this around on me! We're stuck in the middle of nowhere because of you!" With this, he spread his arms wide gesturing to the fact that the two were sitting on a lone boulder… in the middle of an endless void. The only source of light was a cosmic star-scape that wrapped around everywhere the duo looked.

Sorey became defensive at his seraph friend's accusation. "It's not my fault! It's the hellion's!"

"Maybe you should have waited until we knew the coast was clear before just grabbing the first thing that caught your eye!" Mikleo pointed to his friend for emphasis.

Sorey raised both arms in front of him, palms forward as if to block Mikleo's words. "I couldn't help it! That artifact must have been from before the Era of Asgard. Do you think it was made using seraphic artes…?"

Mikleo turned away thoughtfully, "I'd assume so. I doubt that humans would have access to the power necessary to travel to a void such as this."

"But what type of seraph has that power?" Sorey began to wave his arms excitedly as ran over the possibilities. "Maybe it was one of the Five Lords! Or an incredibly powerful ancient seraph we've never even heard of. Or —"

"I don't think we'll ever know since the artifact is now in many pieces strewn across the floor of that ruin. Not to mention… we are currently TRAPPED in an endless VOID!" Mikleo made sure to put heavy emphasis on the last part, as to drill it into his dense friend's brain.

Sorey seemed to shrink in place under his friend's glare, "I said sorry, didn't I?"

"No! You didn't!" Mikleo's face took on a pensive look. "At the very least, we should count ourselves lucky that we landed on the only floating rock in sight in this dimension."

Relieved at the slight change in topic, Sorey relaxed a little, "Yeah, I mean the alternative would probably be falling forever so… at least there's that."

Mikleo lifted one hand and waved it back and forth. "And air, let's not forget the air."

Sorey cocked his head, confused. "Air? What about it? I didn't notice anything."

"That's because you're an idiot." Mikleo deadpanned, earning an indignant look from the brunet.

"Hey!"

Mikleo pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why would a dimension devoid of anything but a single floating rock have a breathable atmosphere?"

"Seraphic artes, maybe?" Sorey suggested, at a loss, but a bit curious as to the cause.

Mikleo shrugged, just as at a loss as Sorey was. "Perhaps, but at this point we're just assuming."

Sorey leaned towards his friend with a cheeky grin. "Well aren't assumptions the basis for most hypotheses?"

In a matter-of-fact tone, Mikleo answered, "No, questions are."

Sorey pointed to his friend, as if he finally cornered him. "Well, how would you know to ask questions if you didn't assume something to be true?"

Mikleo facepalmed. "Sorey, you're such an idiot."

Sorey placed both hands on his hips, standing up straighter in pride. "Well at least I — unlike some people — can actually make archaeological discoveries!"

Mikleo's eyes widened at this. He bit back, "Hey! I'll have you know, I've made plenty of discoveries!"

Sorey folded his arms, tilting his head up and arching an eyebrow. "You mean like when you discover a treasure chest the second I'm about to open it? Or an herb while I'm already picking it?"

Mikleo, back on the defensive, waved both of his hands as if it would help his case. "They blend in with the background! I swear!"

"Just face it, Mikleo." Sorey pointed a thumb at himself. "I'm better at making archaeological finds than you are. Say it!"

"At least I can make more foods than boar's meat!" Mikleo pointed accusing at his friend. "You ruin everything else you touch!"

Sorey waved dismissively. "Yeah, well, at least I can make something with protein. All you can make is sweets."

Mikleo raised both arms in the air for emphasis. "That's irrelevant! Besides, you love my soft-serve ice cream."

Sorey returned to folding his arms, though this time his expression was thoughtful. "That doesn't mean you shouldn't learn to make something else. Whatever happened to having variety?"

Mikleo placed both of his hands in his hair, grabbing locks of it in frustration. "It's not my fault! I'm a water seraph; I can't make anything that involves fire!"

Sorey's mouth spread into a wide grin. "Just face it. The only thing you do better than me is make medicine."

It was at this moment that the air around them rippled, as though the fabric of space itself was being warped… in fact, that was exactly what was happening. The cosmic backdrop began to be replaced with the familiar appearance of an ancient ruin. Of course, this change went unnoticed by the irate young seraph.

"That's because you are such an idiot!" Mikleo exclaimed, pointing accusingly at his friend once more. "You always rush in just to get hurt! I swear, one of these days, you're going to give me a heart attack!"

The star-scape vanished completely, and it was painfully obvious that not only were they back in the ruins, but were also surrounded by their friends. Lailah stood closest to the duo, lowering her arms as she realized she was successful in retrieving her friends. With a broad smile, she began, "Sorey, Mik—"

"Because you liiiiiike me?" Sorey teased, almost immediately cutting Lailah off. He knew they were back, he could see he was surrounded by his friends, but it appeared Mikleo was distracted. So, he decided to have a little fun.

Mikleo turned bright red, eyes wide open and jaw dropped in embarrassment. "No! Because gramps is counting on me to make sure you stay in one piece!" He stamped his feet indignantly on the ruin floor. "Since you never think ahead before you do anything, I have to be the one watching out for you. Honestly, Sorey, you've always had that 'leap before you think' philosophy and it scares me to death sometimes. I mean seriously, look at where we are because you acted without thinking. I have no idea how you are ever going to survive without me." Mikleo extended his arm to Sorey, taking on a more serious tone. "Sorey you are 17 years old; you really need to start acting a bit more like an adult. I get that everything is new and exciting, but the more you act like a kid, the more you make people worry. Plus no one will take you seriously if you spend your whole life acting like a child. So please, for the love of all that is good and just, try to act a bit more mature."

Sorey did his best impression of a thoughtful expression, though his acting did little to fool, causing his partner to raise an eyebrow. "Okay, I'll act more mature."

Mikleo was taken aback by this, to say the least. "Wait, really?"

Sorey nodded in affirmation. "Of course… right after you realize we're back already and you just ranted in front of everybody else."

Genuine confusion spread across Mikleo's face until he finally took the moment to notice his surroundings, as well as whom he was surrounded by.

"Oh…"

Mikleo stared on in silence at the group of friends they'd been separated from. After a moment of silence, Edna, Zaveid, and Rose burst into laughter, causing his face to turn beet red in embarrassment. Lailah, who was kind enough to suppress her own giggles, welcomed them back with a smile on her face. Though, Mikleo suspected that was a teasing smile rather than a happy or relieved one. Drowning in his own embarrassment, the young water seraph looked at the brunette with a murderous look in his eye. "Sorey. I am going to kill you!"


	6. Day 6: Lightning

When they were young, Gramps had always warned them about how dangerous lightning could be. He'd expressed direct warnings to not get too close to it. Of course, he'd stressed this a bit more to Mikleo, since water is a conductor for electricity. For that reason, Sorey and Mikleo would never go out in a lightning storm. For that reason, Mikleo became a bit reluctant to even walk outside when the sky looked slightly dark.

After centuries of waiting, Sorey finally returned to Mikleo's side as a special seraph with the power of lightning. As much as Mikleo wanted to be happy seeing his partner return after so long, he felt a slight twinge of fear pulse through his body. Why is it that, of all elements, Sorey would possess power over the element he feared the most? It felt almost unfair after waiting for centuries he'd not be able to get close to this man.

You see, most seraphim possess power over one of the four main elements: Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind. However, there are certain seraphim who possess power over other elements. Zenrus, the seraph who raised Sorey and Mikleo from childhood – the one they called 'Gramps' – possessed an affinity for lightning, much like Sorey did now. However, Zenrus was a much older and more experienced seraph. In other words he had complete control over his power. Sorey, on the other hand, was a new seraph. He would have to learn to control his power, just as all seraphim do. Unfortunately, that meant that Sorey would not be able to necessarily use his power yet without accidentally hurting someone. And since Mikleo was a _water_ seraph…well, you get the idea.

For a while, Mikleo considered going to one of their seraph friends for help. However he quickly dismissed the thought as he didn't want to seem rude. Besides, he hadn't seen Sorey in centuries; He wanted to spend every moment possible with him alone. But how could he spend time with him so carefree when his partner wielded the one element he feared greatly?

While they were walking, Sorey managed to reach his hand out, grasping Mikleo's slightly smaller one and squeezing it reassuringly. The water seraph smiled lightly in response, though it didn't reach his eyes. All it took was one look to tell that Sorey knew he was still uncomfortable. Guilt welled up in Mikleo's heart and it took all his will just to hold back the tears that threatened to show themselves. With everything that happened, Mikleo believed that _he_ should have been the one comforting _Sorey_ , not the other way around. As it was, he couldn't even find it in himself to be honest with his partner and tell him what was wrong.

However, Mikleo was shocked when Sorey leaned over whispering in his ear. He told him that it was okay – that he wouldn't let the lightning hurt him. In truth, he'd spent a bit of time training himself to control his power after he'd awakened. See, Sorey had remembered Mikleo's fear of lightning. In fact, he was quite upset himself when he'd woken up as a lightning seraph; He was worried for a while that Mikleo would reject him when he found out. For that reason, Sorey took extra care to train his powers enough so that he would be able to face Mikleo without having to worry about hurting or losing him. He couldn't bear to lose him when they were finally reunited. After all, Mikleo waited so long for him to return. It would have been cruel if they couldn't stay together after all that.

At Sorey's admission, all the emotions Mikleo held back came crashing down. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks and a bright smile graced his lips. Sorey shared a similar sentiment, smiling through joyful tears, pulling Mikleo into a gentle embrace. The thought that Sorey had done so much to make sure they could stay together shook Mikleo to the core, and a warm feeling like a small fire ignited within his chest. And for the first time in his life, Mikleo thought that maybe lightning wasn't quite so dangerous and destructive. After all, water attracts lightning. So as long as lightning was Sorey's element, perhaps they would never have to be apart again.


End file.
